Vice PresidentialCandidates Duel on TV

Recent polls indicated that Sarah Palin almost became a burden for the Republican presidential candidate John McCain-–especially because of several embarrassing interviews on TV. In her TV duel with Obama’s Vice Presidential candidate Joe Biden this Thursday, however, Palin acquit herself surprisingly well–and concealed gaps in her knowledge with demotic approaches.

Palin had just overcome the four most difficult weeks of her political career when she entered the stage at Washington University in St. Louis on Thursday night. Palin’s first television interviews since the Republicans shocked the nation by introducing her as their vice presidential candidate, turned out to be disastrous. The major gaps in her political knowledge and her tendency to get lost in pointless run-on sentences quickly caused uneasiness within her party. Only a few weeks later, and before the nation’s critical eyes, the governor of Alaska now had to stand her ground against her Democratic rival Joe Biden–and surprise with her self-confident appearance, which she tried to use to cover her sometimes elusive responses.

When Palin entered the stage, she blew kisses into the audience and greeted her opponent with a casual, “Hey, can I call you Joe?” The mother of five did not even try to trump Senate veteran Biden with in-detail knowledge, but presented herself as a street-smart citizen who has no bearing on the unpopular politics that are made in Washington. “It’s so obvious that I’m a Washington outsider and not used to the way you guys operate,” she said. “I may not answer the questions the way you or the moderator want to hear, but I’m going to talk to the American people.” And with disarming frankness, she reflects, “How long have I been at this? Like five weeks?”

Sole Requirement: Avoid Embarrassing Slip-Ups

During the debate, Joe Biden resisted the temptation of leading Palin up the garden path. Ever since presidential candidate John McCain surprisingly nominated Palin, one cannot help but wonder if her fate will be that of a political shooting star: a fast dying down after a glistening illumination. At first, Palin took her party by storm with a brilliant appearance at the Republican National Convention. Since then, however, her few public statements showed her uncertainty about foreign and financial policy. Her assertion that the geographical proximity of her home state Alaska to Russia proved her experience in foreign affairs resulted in widespread mockery.

Recent polls have shown that Palin is becoming a burden for presidential candidate McCain. Influential conservatives such as columnist Kathleen Parker call her an “embarrassment” and advise her to withdraw. Palin’s sole requirement for the debate was to avoid embarrassing slip-ups that could do damage to McCain’s already dragging campaign.

Debate Training Pays Off

Palin’s weapon during the television debate is her folksy language. Over and over, she castigates the “greed and corruption” on Wall Street that is responsible for the current financial crisis. The recreational hunter reports on “the fear of moms on the soccer field” about the country’s bad economic situation. She speaks about soldiers’ mothers, mentions her disabled child, and underlines her explanations with colloquial speech. Palin is determined not to lower her guards and keeps avoiding moderator Gwen Ifill’s demands. When Ifill inquires about her plans for over-indebted private households, Palin replies: “I want to talk about energy policy now.”

Sometimes, Palin’s answers seemed to be not the result of serious political cogitation, but the proof of the previous debate training on McCain’s ranch in Arizona. The embarrassing slip-ups, which many viewers might have waited for, are missing this time. During the debate, Democrat Joe Biden resists the temptation of putting Palin on the spot or of directly attacking her. The danger of appearing as an arrogant chauvinist is too big. Instead, he focuses his criticism exclusively on McCain.